Alleged Hate Speech At Los Gatos Pro-Trump Rally Condemned

LOS GATOS, CA — The town of Los Gatos and local police jointly issued a statement Tuesday morning condemning hate-speech incidents alleged by witnesses to have occurred during and after a pro-Trump “Stop the Steal” rally over the weekend.

The statement specifically addressed allegations of anti-Asian epithets not mentioned in the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department’s initial statement addressing a brief physical altercation after Saturday afternoon’s rally at Town Plaza.

The "Stop the Steal" rally held in support of the president's baseless claims of election fraud drew around 65 to 75 demonstrators and about eight to 10 counter-protesters according to police.

“We welcome differences of opinion and will work to ensure everyone’s rights to free speech,” Tuesday’s joint statement said.

“However, we do not condone and will not tolerate violence, intimidation, and racist hate speech. Hate in any form is not welcome.

“The Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department is investigating reports of anti-Asian insults made before, during and after the physical confrontation that occurred an hour after the pro-Trump “Stop the Steal” protest on Saturday, January 2, 2021.”

The initial police statement said multiple calls came in at around 3:30 p.m. reporting a large disturbance on North Santa Cruz Ave. and Greys Lane.

Officers from the Campbell Police Department and the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to assist local authorities, police said.

Video of the altercation has been posted on social media by multiple Twitter users, including one who alleges the use of anti-Asian hate speech.

“This weekend next 2 Loma Brewing a young man was beaten, told 2 go back to China, called a communist & dog-eater. If you saw the incident, please call the police and report the hate crime,” @suscraig tweeted.

The video shows a woman wearing a Trump shirt slamming a soda can in the direction of apparent counter-protester followed by a thud. The video then shows the woman swinging an American flag wildly at the counter-protester.

Multiple calls reporting a large disturbance on North Santa Cruz Ave. and Greys Lane around an hour after the protest concluded, police said.

Officers from the Campbell Police Department and the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to assist local authorities, police said.

"Upon arrival, it was determined that a brief physical confrontation had occurred between a few remnants of the pro-Trump protest and another small group," police said in a statement.

"The confrontation had ended prior to Police arrival and the assistance by the outside agencies was not needed."

Officers interviewed witnesses and participants in the clash as part of an ongoing investigation into the incident, police said.

A Trump supporter posted video showing protesters demonstrating peacefully with a band playing “Three Cheers for the Red, White Blue.”

“Beautiful Stop the Steal rally today in Los Gatos, California,” @FestaBrava tweeted.